


Studiously Yours

by misura



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-22 07:06:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17055404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Pellew helps Hornblower with his studies.





	Studiously Yours

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SweetSorcery](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetSorcery/gifts).



A captain's duties were many, and varied, and Pellew would not have it said that he had taken to neglect such duties for the sake of pleasure, however attractive - the moreso as said attractive pleasure had certain duties on his own.

Nonetheless: "Mr Hornblower."

"Hm." Horatio looked up with those damnable eyes of his, then blinked, flushed and made what Pellew generously chose to assume was an attempt at a salute. "I meant, yes, sir. Sir."

Pellew reminded himself that he, too, had been a young midshipman once, studying for examinations. He preferred to flatter himself that he had not be so fortunate as Horatio had been in his captain, but of course, that might well be his vanity talking.

Then again, Pellew rather doubted that even his youth, his skin had been quite so soft, his lips quite so inviting. He had acquitted himself well, and with honor and distinction, and that was what had brought him where he was today: a captain of one of the finest ships of the fleet, and a wide-eyed innocent in his bed. (Innocence being somewhat of a relative term, naturally. Still.)

"Does this strike you as a suitable occasion for study?" Pellew tried to sound stern.

Horatio stared down at his book, then back up again at Pellew. His shirt was still half-undone. Pellew wondered if he had left it so on purpose, then discarded the idea as unlikely. Horatio's intelligence would serve him well, but off the battlefield, he tended to a simplicity Pellew might wish to be practiced more often by those above them.

"Well, Mr. Hornblower?" Pellew frowned, though in truth, he was fighting a smile - a doomed battle, he feared, but then, Horatio was not to know that.

"I - you appeared busy, sir." Horatio licked his lips, his expression nervous.

Pellew wondered if Horatio could truly be so uncertain of his affections, or whether there was something else at play here, some past occurrence that had left Horatio wary of giving offense.

"Appeared, yes." Pellew sat down. "And now?"

"Now, less so," Horatio said. "Sir."

Pellew reached for the book. Horatio made a movement as if he wished to prevent him, which Pellew chose to pretend not to notice. "Would you like me to test you?"

"Sir!" Horatio said, nearly making it sound like a protest.

Pellew arched an eyebrow. If Horatio preferred to spend their time together on less ... high-minded pursuits than study, he certainly would not object. On the contrary, as a matter of fact.

Still, among other things (a great many other things), Horatio had also struck Pellew as a young man much given to study, to put duty and responsility before any other consideration. It was an admirable quality, albeit one Pellew felt ought to be tempered by other, equally admirable qualities, some of which might be taught or acquired with experience.

"I - " Horatio's cheeks were flushed. "I would be deeply honored, sir."

He sounded utterly sincere. It made Pellew feel almost guilty for leaning forwards and kissing him, though Horatio responded eagerly enough.

Granted, Pellew suspected that in this moment, there was little he might choose to do to or with Horatio that would not be met with an eager and welcoming response. As a captain, it was his duty not to abuse that trust - and his pleasure to luxuriate in it, to consider all the ways in which he might guide and shape Horatio to become not only a credit to the Indefiatigable and her captain, but to all of the fleet.

"I should warn you, I am considered a stern taskmaster," Pellew said. "Exacting, even. I will not be satisfied with half-answers or evasions."

Horatio grinned, though he turned his head to hide it. "No, sir. I am forewarned, sir."

"Good." Pellew browsed through the book. Astonishing, really, the amount of knowledge that had once seemed so daunting to master and now came as easily and naturally to him as breathing.

"Sir? What will you do if I fail to answer one of your questions to your satisfaction?"

Dozens of ideas fluttered through Pellew's head, some disturbingly alluring. "I will explain to you why the answer you gave was incorrect, Mr Hornblower. Naturally."

"And?" Horatio pressed. Pellew noted the absence of a 'sir', which was interesting, given what Horatio seemed to want to hear.

"And I would hope such will not prove to be necessary," Pellew said, "given the length of your study and the nearness of the examination."

"Yes, sir."

Pellew relaxed somewhat, even though part of him mourned the lost opportunity. Then again, Horatio was hardly likely to fail any test Pellew might set him, and Pellew had not sunk so low that he would find fault where none was to be found.

"If your answers do prove satisfactory, I suppose that I might need to reward you in some manner. A lieutenancy is, alas, not within my power to give, but I feel something else might be contrived."

"Oh, I am certain that I will be able to think of something, sir," Horatio said.

"You?" Pellew firmly resolved to resist any temptation to make the test an easy one. Such would do neither himself nor Horatio any favors.

Horatio cleared his throat. "That is - I meant - "

"No, no. That will do very well, Mr. Hornblower. Very well, indeed."

It would be quite illuminating, Pellew rather thought, to hear what Horatio felt his passed test might be worth. As well as pleasurable, he rather thought, knowing Horatio as he did.

"Now then, the first question - "


End file.
